The Environment and Support Needs of Japanese Families on Temporary Work Assignments in the United States

Abstract

Purpose: This study aimed to describe the environment and the family support needs of families of Japanese nationals rearing children who are temporarily working in the Southwestern United States. Design: Mixed methods were utilized based on the Concentric Sphere Family Environment Model. Data collection occurred over 132 days, with 25 families participating in formal interviews and 40 families completing a written questionnaire survey. Findings/Results: “Mutual support from relatives and friends in Japan, and with local Japanese peers,” and other themes, six in all, were extracted. Japanese families require intervention for measures related to the global environment in their daily lives. Discussion and Conclusions: The common factor for those families with high intervention needs was the inability to access family external resources that were usually available in Japan. Implication for Practice: The building of peer support and intervention to promote their participation in the community are necessary.